Expanding Community, Strengthening Connections

The field of international education will gather for the NAFSA 2017 Annual Conference & Expo in the diverse and dynamic city of Los Angeles, California. Explore this year’s theme, “Expanding Community, Strengthening Connections,” through NAFSA’s comprehensive educational program and robust networking opportunities.

Every day, NAFSA conference attendees help individuals and groups connect across borders, within and between communities, and inside and outside of classrooms. What are the skills and knowledge needed to build understanding and engage meaningfully with communities of all kinds and sizes? How can we use technology to collaborate with different communities? How are we rethinking international networks and partnerships—especially in the context of shifting economic, cultural, and political attitudes? How do we teach our students (and our institutions) to communicate with respect and consider varied perspectives of others? How can we design educational experiences that develop shared vocabularies to promote peace and justice? How do we build sustainable communities on campus that are welcoming and responsive to diverse students and disparate needs?

The NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo itself represents an expansive network made up of many communities of diverse interest, professional specialization, countries and cultures, and institutional types. The conference theme challenges us to think about how we, as international educators, work with one another and nurture valuable allies and advocates within our profession as well as in other fields.

The NAFSA 2017 Annual Conference is your opportunity to explore learning and new approaches to practice while supporting the belief that international education helps people to fully embrace ideas of community that transcend boundaries.